All Things Considered

Commonly referred to as "ATC" and a staple for afternoon commutes, NPR's nationally syndicated afternoon news magazine brings you closer to home with the presence of WAMU's local host.

Since May 3, 1971 All Things Considered has been produced every day from NPR's headquarters in Washington, D.C. Featuring a mix of news, interviews, commentaries, reviews, and offbeat features, "ATC" produces 2 hours of fresh content every day for hundreds of public radio stations around the United States.

Elliott Francis

Local Host, All Things Considered

Francis has worked alongside some of the most influential media executives in the U.S. during his 25 years as a news anchor, including FOX News President and Chairman Roger Ailes, former CNN Executive Vice President Ed Turner, and the founder and former CEO of Johnson Publishing Company, John H. Johnson. In 2002, shortly after joining the ABC news affiliate in Washington DC (WJLA-TV) as the morning co-anchor, Francis was thrust into the rigors of live, non-stop coverage of the DC sniper shootings and investigation, sometimes speaking 8-9 hours unscripted. A skilled interviewer, Francis once convinced singer John Denver to go "on-camera" with details of his upcoming DUI trial.

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

The economy grew at an annual rate of 1.7 percent in the second quarter. That's better than most analysts expected, but far below the historical average. Federal Reserve policymakers meeting in Washington decided to leave interest rates alone and kept plans to begin phasing out a stimulus program later this year if the economy holds up well.

Congressional Republicans are accusing the IRS of dodging their questions and requests for documents in the inquiry into the flagging of Tea Party groups seeking tax exempt status. One House committee warns the agency it could use its investigative powers to enforce compliance. And a second committee says it now has proof that conservative groups were treated worse than progressive groups.

Zimbabweans voted Wednesday for their next president. Longtime President Robert Mugabe is facing opposition leader and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai. Mugabe, who has ruled since independence in 1980, says he'll step down if defeated. However in the 2008 election, his near loss resulted in widespread violence.

The Utah Pride Center, which serves LGBT youth in Salt Lake City, has applied to charter a Boy Scout troop twice. Center leaders say they will comply with the rule barring gay adults from serving as troop leaders. But the Boy Scouts of America says the two organizations' missions are misaligned.

The Weekend Edition host used Twitter to share his observations and feelings in the final, tender moments of his mother's life. In a conversation with NPR's Audie Cornish, Simon remembers his late mom and explains how the social media community bolstered his spirits in a time of grieving.

Dozens of conservative Republican House members and senators are pushing their leaders to use the threat of a government shutdown on Oct. 1 as a way to "defund" Obamacare. They argue that it's their last chance to stop the law before major portions take effect. It has opened up a serious rift in the party, as more moderate Republicans worry that if Congress fails to pass a spending bill by Sept. 30, Republicans — and not President Obama — will be blamed.

Georgia, like many other states, protects the identity of companies that make drugs used in executions. The lawyer of a death row inmate says not being able to verify the effectiveness of the drug violates his client's right "to be free from cruel and unusual punishment."

A military judge has acquitted Army Pvt. Bradley Manning of the most serious charge against him — aiding the enemy — but found him guilty of 19 criminal charges including violation of the Espionage Act and theft of government property. Manning was accused of the biggest leak of classified information in U.S. history after he passed thousands of war documents and diplomatic cables to the website WikiLeaks.

Despite mounting pressure from rivals and even former supporters, Anthony Weiner is giving no indication that he'll drop out of New York City's race for mayor. Recent events — including a Quinnipiac poll showing that a majority of New York City voters want him to make a quick exit — have made his uphill battle even steeper.

On Wednesday, the Bureau of Economic Analysis will release new statistics on the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the second quarter. The main number — the total value of all goods and services produced in the United States — will be about 3 percent bigger than it would have been. It won't be bigger because of a change in the economy, but rather a change in accounting.

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